The new boss of William Hill has drawn battle lines with the government on his
first day in the job by declaring that politicians could not possibly be any
more hostile towards the betting industry.

The comments from James Henderson, who replaced long-serving Ralph Topping as
chief executive yesterday, threaten to inflame further the industry’s
fraught relations with the government, which is cracking down on problem
gambling and raising betting taxes.

Asked whether the political environment was becoming more hostile towards
gambling companies such as William Hill, he said: “I do not believe it can
be any more hostile than